


collide

by orphan_account



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Hurt/Comfort, Kix is a Good Bro, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Umbara is a Spooky Place
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:01:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24208615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: I’m Null,he tells himself firmly, even as every scent in the room seems to slam into him with enough force to knock the breath from his lungs.I’m Null,he repeats to himself, even when something deep inside of him responds to the Alpha’s- no,Fives’-touch on his arm.I’m Null,weaker now, uncertain, when something within him aches forhistouch.Because Echo is not an Omega. He can’t afford to be.
Relationships: CT-21-0408 | Echo/CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555
Comments: 36
Kudos: 177





	1. null

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [some days I can't even trust myself](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23394556) by [orphan_account](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account). 



> listen. _listen._
> 
> every single one of you can blame sheApunk89 for my ABO brainrot. seriously, how could y’all honestly expect me to read their fics and _not_ get inspired? am i in love with their writing? absolutely. am i writing this _because_ i love their writing and i’m trying to cope with the clone wars ending? also yes. 
> 
> this is now my emotional support story, so _buckle_ up kiddies.

He presents the day they’re back from Rishi.

Fives had just been teasing him about always wanting the top bunk- _“you always have to have the advantage, don’t you? no ones going to hurt us here, vod, relax”-_ when he’d suddenly felt... _wrong_ , stumbling slightly before righting himself.

“Echo?” Fives’ hand was on his arm, grounding, but his presence was far from comforting. Because when Echo inhaled, all he could smell was pure, unfiltered _Alpha._ He’d never had to deal with it, had assumed that he was Null- _blissfully ignorant to it all. He wants it back-_ but now he’s...

“Shit,” He breathes, his hands shaking, and Fives’ grip tightens- _Echo’s neck bares, just slightly, in response, and it makes him all the more disgusted with himself-_ until he turns him around to face him.

“Echo? C’mon, talk to me, what’s going on?”

Echo opens his mouth to speak, feels a pang of _wantneedalpha_ through the all consuming emptiness inside, but then Fives’ nostrils flare. His eyes widen in shock, and he releases Echo as if he’d been burned, stumbling back in surprise.

“Echo...” He says softly, confused, and Echo bolts.

* * *

He has the good sense to lock himself in the most secluded ‘fresher he can find, because he doesn’t know how this works, had never _needed_ to know. An army of Alphas had no use for knowledge about Omegas, and all Echo can understand is that he _aches_.

He has his forehead pressed to the cold tile floor, anything to help with his burning skin- _heat, is this a heat? He thinks that’s the word, he doesn’t know-_ , arms wrapped tight around his torso in a futile attempt to keep the pain at bay. And _Force_ does it hurt.

He’s instantly alert, however, when there’s a soft knock at the door. A muffled voice follows, their words too quiet to be deciphered, and Echo rolls until he’s on his side, panting from the exertion. It shouldn’t be that hard, such a simple, uncomplicated move, but it is, and Echo closes his eyes in shame.

He can feel the heat radiating from his blacks, soaking into the tiles and chasing off the chill, and Echo desperately misses it. There’s a beep- _the telltale whine of a door being overridden-_ , the control panel flashing green before it slides open.

Then the smell hits him.

It’s too much, his sensitive nose burning with the intensity of it all, and he opens his eyes, makes a weak attempt to scoot further into the room. Unsurprisingly, a medic is the one to step inside, shock and worry evident on his face as he crouches.

The movement makes Echo flinch. The medic raises his hands non-threateningly, giving the smallest of smiles, a noble effort, but Echo still gags on his scent.

“Hey, _vod_.” He soothes, takes the smallest step forward, and Echo can’t stop the noise that works up his throat. “I know it hurts, I’m sorry.” Echo wants to scream at him, wants to tell him to _karking do something then_ , but his tongue lies useless and heavy in his mouth. He continues to burn. “My names Kix. Can I touch you? I promise I won’t-“ Kix’s nostrils flare, no doubt choking on Echo’s own scent, and Echo wants to apologize for the way it must be permeating the air. “I won’t do anything. I just want to help.”

Kix takes another step, reaches out a hand, and Echo’s eyes widen, his bones groaning in protest as he _shoves_ himself back. Everything within him protests the motion, and he falls limp with a defeated gasp. The medic takes it as an opportunity to glide forward, kneeling by his side carefully. “It’s okay, you’re okay,” he assures softly, but Echo’s hand still twitches as if to stop him when he reaches down to press a cool palm against his forehead.

It’s a welcome relief, and he’s leaning into it before he can stop himself, a small groan falling from his lips.

Kix frowns before standing. “I’ll be right back, Fives is going to stay with you, okay? Everything’s going to be fine, Echo, we’ll figure this out.” He leaves before Echo can even think to untangle his tongue and protest, but it isn’t seconds later before someone else drops down beside him, pressing a significantly cooler hand than Kix’s to his forehead.

“ _Kriff_ , you’re burning up.”

Leave it to Fives to state the obvious. Echo strains, grits his teeth through the pain and gets an arm underneath himself before doing one of the most difficult push-ups of his career, ignoring Fives’ squawk of protest. “I’m fine,” he tries to say, but it comes out a throaty rasp.

Fives reaches out clumsily, trying to push him back down, and Echo raises an arm to bat him away. Somewhere in the scuffle Fives’ hand ends up on Echo’s neck, firm and cool and something inside of him _breaks_. Echo stills immediately, limbs working against him as he slides back down to rest against the disgusting tiles with a shudder, because what the hell was _that_? Fives looked horrified for all of a second before he ripped his hand away. “Shit,” The other trooper breathed, and Echo would agree if he could, but as it were, his body was loose and ignorant of his commands, his tongue even more so. “Echo-“

Kix abruptly crouched, pushing Fives away with his elbow. “What did you do?”

Fives looked guilty, sputtering helplessly. “I didn’t mean to! He tried to get up and I- my hand, touched his neck, and then-“

“ _Di’kut_ ,” Kix hissed lowly, rummaging through the ‘pack he’d brought with a frown. “This isn’t normal, this is- this is bad, and you’re making things worse.”

“What the kriff is going on?” Fives finally bit out, eyes narrowed in anger, scent bitter, and Echo’s breath hitched

“Shock heat.”

Of- _kriffing_ -course, _karking_ Rishi station. The explosion and the transfer to the 501st. The loss of Hevy, Cutup and Droidbait. His Omega had picked a very convenient time to show itself, a little too dramatic for his tastes, and he frowned.

“How is this- How is he- _this_?” Fives asked, gesturing to Echo’s sprawled form.

Kix finally pulled out a syringe, a long, thick needle at the tip, and Echo tensed beneath him. “I have no idea, but he’s not the first clone with this... _predicament_ in the GAR. And I doubt he’ll be the last.”

Talking about him in the third person was becoming increasingly more frustrating, and Echo glared up at them as best he could while trying not to moan in pain.

He doesn’t know how it happens, but there’s a sharp sting at the back of his neck, and he jerks forward, forehead colliding hard with Kix’s knee before the pain ebbs. Echo goes limp as whatever they’d given him works, muscles still twitching in protest, but then there’s a hand on his flank, a voice murmuring something that sounds suspiciously like assurances, but he can’t tell, and then there’s a hand on his neck and-

He lets the darkness take him.

* * *

Fives can’t stop staring at him. He knows it’s wrong, knows that Kix is glancing at him warily, but he can’t bring himself to stop. The Omega- _No, no no no, Echo was Null, they’d all said so, the Kaminoans had tested him specifically when he hadn’t presented, and had declared him Null Null Null **Null** -_ hasn’t stopped writhing once since they’ve arrived in the infirmary. If anything, his struggles have grown, so much so that Kix had moved them to a separate room so as to not disturb any other patients.

But it’s also given Echo’s scent nowhere to spread, and the sheer amount of pheromones in the air is _blinding_. Fives swears he can taste it, if he focuses hard enough, and it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing- _there’s something nice about Echo’s scent, soft, smooth and so distinctly Echo that it smells **right** , but there’s a souring tinge of heat and distress that ruins the sentiment-_ but he refuses to let his thoughts drift further.

Fives has never had trouble with his Alpha, has never had to force the hind part of his brain to recede, but now, it’s... different. He knows why the Kaminoans had culled the Omegas, because just being close enough to scent the other trooper is distracting.

“Will it always be this way?” Fives blurts, and Kix looks up from his datapad with a raised brow. “Will his scent always be so...” He gestures vaguely.

“Oh,” Kix finally says, shaking his head dismissively. “No. This is just his heat taking over right now, he can’t control it. Once it passes, he should be able to keep it to himself. With practice, of course.”

Fives nodded distractedly, but tensed when Echo let out a moan and squirmed, throat working around nothing before he let out a high noise.

Kix caught Fives’ eyes. “You don’t have to be here, y’know. He still has a few days to go.”

“I know.”

And he does, but he also knows that when Echo wakes, when it really hits him _exactly_ what’s happened, he’ll need to be there. They’re Domino, him and Echo. And he’ll be damned if they fall.

* * *

He’s burning, but he doesn’t know why. His thoughts are muddled, hazy, but he can still- can still _think_ , and that doesn’t make sense but it does.

_What?_

He’s empty. This deep, aching feeling that grows and grows and screams at him for something, anything, _Alpha_ -

_No!_

Echo opens his eyes, choking on his own tongue and arching against the heat that races down his spine. There’s a light above him, not bright, but not dull either, and he blinks for a moment to let his vision adjust. His panting breaths scratch his throat and make him aware of just how _dry_ it is, but he can’t seem to stop himself.

He lets his head loll, too exhausted to even attempt to lift it, and sees-

 _Fives_ , his mind screams, but another part, the part that’s rapidly pulling him under, the part that’s burning him alive and crying with want, sees an _Alpha_. It’s torturously cruel, to have the object of his desires right there, sat innocently enough- _he’s sleeping, he thinks, chin resting on his chest, arms and legs crossed, and he wants wants wants-_ and Echo forces himself to look away. No, he’s _better_ than this.

His Omega, clutching desperately for any fragment of Fives’ scent it can reach, says otherwise.

He _finally_ gets a grip and _finally_ manages to ignore the Alpha for all of a few precious minutes before Fives wakes. Just his luck, it seems, and Echo bites his lip to stifle the pathetic noise that he wants to release.

“Echo?”

_Kriff kriff kriff karking- don’t-_

He can hear Fives move forward, can hear the scrape of armor and plastic as he stands from his seat, and Echo is fucking _trembling_ from how hard he’s clenching his fists, and still the _di'kut_ comes closer. Echo wants to wring his stupidly loyal neck.

“Hey,” _Alpha Alpha Alpha Alpha-_ “It’s- Its gonna be okay, Echo, we’ll figure this out. It’s okay.” It’s really _kriffing_ not because Fives is projecting a _lot_ more than he knows, and Echo makes the mistake of inhaling. He thinks his vision whites out. “Echo?”

“ _Alpha_.” The word rolls off his tongue with relative ease, completely involuntary, and Echo fights against the surge of raw lust crawling through his system. Fives’ eyes are wide, pupils blown and breath shallow, and when Echo looks up at him pleadingly, their gazes meet and hold. The feeling in his stomach doubles, and the force of it knocks the breath from his lungs. “Alpha, please.” He doesn’t know what he’s begging for, not really, but when Fives lips part with a ragged inhale, pupils blown and gaze intense, Echo has the vaguest of ideas.

One moment Fives is there, staring down at him, conflicted, want and worry warring for dominance across his face, before he’s suddenly just- gone. No, _pushed_. Kix is grabbing Fives and practically dragging him from the room, and Echo bucks up in protest, gritting his teeth to suppress a scream when his head _throbs_ with the motion. He opens his mouth to yell but quickly clamps it shut when his stomach rolls.

_Kriff._

His vision is blurring at the edges, and he’s still sucking in greedy breaths, only to be disappointed. Fives’ scent is already gone.

* * *

“What the hell were you thinking?” Kix snapped, voice dark and angry, and Fives immediately bristled.

The image of Echo, flushed and writhing, calling to him, _begging for him,_ is still dancing before his eyes, so he’s too slow to stop the shove from the medic. He feels drunk.

“Answer me!”

“I just talked to him, is that a _kriffing_ crime?”

Fives hasn’t known Kix long, but he can imagine that the medic is never this angry very often. “You know _exactly_ what you were doing. He’s out of his _karking_ mind, Fives, Echo has _no idea_ what he wants right now. All he knows is that his body wants an Alpha, were you really going to just- take advantage of him?”

“I didn’t _do_ anything!” Fives spat, taking a threatening step forward, but Kix didn’t budge. “I would never take advantage of him.”

“Really? Didn’t look like it to me.” Then, more seriously. “Stay away from him, I mean it. You’re only _karking_ with his head.”

Fives shook his head in exasperation. “I didn’t-“

“I _know_ you didn’t do anything. This isn’t about _you_ , it’s about _him_.” That... made sense, actually, and Fives felt more than a little sheepish. “He wants an Alpha, taunting him with your presence and scent will only stress him further.” Kix suddenly paused, looking him up and down, narrowing his eyes. “Are you two...”

Fives blinked. “What? No, we’re not- no.”

Kix gave him one more calculating look before nodding sharply. “Alright. Go get some rest, I’ll watch him.”

There’s the basest part of him that screams _no, stay,_ the same part of him that’s determined to cling to Echo’s scent like a lifeline, but he stubbornly forces it down. He nods, grateful, and flashes the medic a small smile before making his way out. “Thanks, Kix.”

“Fives?”

He turns back with a raised brow. Kix looks vulnerable, uncertain, and it hits Fives just how young the other clone is.

 _Younger_.

“This doesn’t leave the room. Echo gets to choose who knows, in his own time.”

Fives wonders what would happen if the ranks _did_ know that Echo was an Omega. He remembers the lewd, snide comments he’d heard from his trainers and shudders. No, it would only end in disaster, and more than likely, decommissioning for Echo.

“Of course.”

He leaves after that, wanders through the halls of the _Resolute_ until he finally collapses onto his bunk, finally letting himself _breathe_.

There’s a trooper staring at him, assessing, and Fives glances over at him warily.

“You’re from Rishi.”

Not a question. Fives nods, closes his eyes and prays that he’ll be left alone. No such luck.

“Where’s the other one?”

Fives sits up with a huff. “Are you this _hospitable_ to everyone or am I just special?”

That causes a ghost of a smile to grace the troopers lips before it’s gone. “I’m Jesse.”

“Fives.”

“Lights out.” Someone calls, and then they’re draped in darkness.

Jesse’s bunk is just close enough that Fives can hear him breathe out a quiet, “He’s an Omega, isn’t he?”

Fives stiffens, feels a stab of fear, and although he can’t see him, he glances in Jesse’s direction anyway. He doesn’t know what to say, how to defuse the situation, but he doesn’t have to, because after a short pause, Jesse’s speaking again. “I won’t tell anyone.”

And, for some reason, Fives actually believes him.


	2. you and me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“It’s just you and me, Fives.”_

When Kix had been grabbed by a hyperventilating trooper and practically dragged to a refresher, he hadn’t known what to think. The attention felt nice, though, made him feel needed, but when he’d heard the words “ _I think he’s an Omega_ ”, he’d nearly panicked himself.

Because he would like to think that he _knows_ what he’s doing, that he has the suppressants available to even _hide_ an Omega, but he doesn’t. He is, he thinks bitterly, much too inexperienced, and sorely lacking the connections to even _broach_ the subject to a fellow medic, let alone smuggle such an item onto a _destroyer_. He can’t afford to ruin this, seeing as he’s lucky enough to even be allowed _in_ the medbay.

_“Combat medics are ill-defined, they lack a certain clement touch that a wounded or bed-ridden trooper would need. You are only here because we need your hands, CT-6116, nothing more.”_

A very proper way to say he was too _rough_ , too much of a liability to be around weak and vulnerable men. Men that were easy to break. After all, he was never given the full extent of Kamino’s medical courses, was he? He hasn’t performed a surgery yet- _wonders if his hands would be good enough, if they would hold steady and true_ -, never so much as stepped foot in a _real_ medical facility, because he’s _just_ left Kamino, has only participated in two battles that were nearly over before they started, and all he’s ever done is administered hypos or plugged a wound, held trooper’s hands as they’d died and then wiped off the blood as if nothing had happened. He only has a _taste_ of the full capabilities of war, and yet he already feels hardened. Beaten. Shaped. A tool to be used for the betterment of others.

He wonders if Jesse had experienced a smoother transition into the ranks. They hadn’t seen each other in days save for the glimpse he’d gotten as his friend had passed by an open door, chatting amiably with- Fives? He thinks that’s his name. It becomes hazy after a while.

_Boom, Tuck, Jack, Reap, Dud, Jasper, Saw, Bullet, Clay-_

Kix inhales sharply, swallowing hard and blinking furiously at the ‘pad in his hand, eyes roaming over a report that he couldn’t bring himself to read. The trooper’s heat was finally dying down, but not before he’d set nearly every Alpha within the walls of the medbay on edge. Kix had nearly pulled his own hair in frustration when he’d had to calm yet _another_ wounded Alpha’s panic at smelling a potential mate while in such a weak, defenseless state. He’d also had to construct quite a few lies to keep the Omega under the radar.

_“It’s just the medicine.”_

_“Nope, no Omega here, brother.”_

_“Wouldn’t that be the day.”_

_“Yeah, and I’m a Senator.”_

He nearly drops his datapad in surprise when one of the medics whistles, sharp and piercing. “Hey, Shiny! Get over here.”

Purposefully ignoring the nickname, he sets down the ‘pad and walks over. “What’s wrong?”

“Why’s the screening room sectioned off?”

Kix knows better than to blink, to show any sort of emotion that could give him away, and he clears his throat. “How should I know?”

The older _vod_ gives him a weird look. “It’s signed by _you_.”

That... was a mistake.

 _Fuck_.

“Oh.” His hands are sweaty, he thinks belatedly, and the medic’s brown eyes are boring into him with all the indignation of a threatened Nexu- _a reasonable comparison, if he says so himself-_ , so Kix takes a subdued step back. “I’ll- go check. On the room.”

It takes every ounce of self control he has to walk at an even pace, punching in the access code with feigned reluctance before slipping inside.

The trooper was sitting up with his head in his hands, but he looked up as soon as the door opened, skin still covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and Kix politely ignored the bulge in his blacks, choosing instead to meet the trooper’s gaze head on. “What happened?” Is the first question, and Kix raises a brow.

“You mean you don’t know?”

“I mean- yes, yeah, I know.” The trooper drags a hand down his face, exhaling hard. “What _happened_? Why am I...” He gestures vaguely at his person, and Kix feels a pang of sympathy.

“Late bloomer, I guess. Your file has you marked as Null. When was the deadline?”

“For presenting?” The trooper frowns at him, then looks away. “When we were eight. Long Necks told me that any possibility of presenting after that were-“

“Slim.” Kix finishes for him, and the trooper nods. “Yeah, well, slim isn’t _zero_.” Then, when the acrid smell of fear started burning in his nose, he added, “My name’s Kix.”

The trooper glances up at him then away, pressing his thighs together tightly, defensively, and Kix tries to not be offended. Tries. Fails. “Echo.” There’s a pause after that, only slightly awkward, before Echo clears his throat. “Can I... go?”

“Are you sure it’s passed?” Kix asks skeptically, and Echo gives a strained laugh.

“Well I don’t have the urge for you to fuck me senseless, so.” He seems to realize what he’d said a moment later, and his face flushes. “Sorry. Yeah, I’m just... sore.”

Kix sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. _I’m too fucking young for this_. “Even if that’s true, I don’t know how to hide you.”

“Hide me?” Echo questions softly, brows furrowed and head tilted. Kix doesn’t think he’s ever met a more clueless _vod_ in his life.

“Your scent.” He clarifies, and when Echo just continues giving him that blank stare, he huffs and touches the side of his own neck, just above his scent glands. “Feel that?”

Slowly, warily, Echo reaches up, but hisses when his fingers make contact, jerking them away so fast that his hand bangs against the cot as he does. “ _Ow_.”

“ _That_ is what’s gonna screw you over. Your scent is projecting like a bantha in...” Oh. _Oh_. He grins sheepishly as Echo glares at him, and he carefully rephrases. “Even if your scent doesn’t give you away, the different body composition will.”

“Hey,” Echo snaps indignantly. “My dick is _just_ as big as yours.”

“That’s not-“ Kix rubs a hand over his face. Hard. If not to muffle his groan then to hide his annoyed expression. “ _Slick_ , dumbass. A completely different reproductive system? Heats? The works.”

“Oh.” Echo says again, and he looks down at his legs with a slightly bewildered expression. “That’s what that was.”

Then, Kix suddenly blinks. “Wait a minute, we may have something.”

Echo jerks his head up, surprised. “Really?”

“I said ‘ _may_ ’. And I use that term loosely.” He hasn’t been here long enough to get the whole inventory of their stock, but he knows that sending an entire ship of Alphas out into deep space _without_ suppressants of any kind? Unlikely. And he would find them even if he had to bribe a brother to do so. “Wait here.”

* * *

Echo stays exactly where he is, reluctant to feel the sticky press of his thighs but equally reluctant to trust his legs so soon, instead opting to glare down at his erection and silently will it away. The pain of his scent gland had been easy to ignore before, but now that’s it been pointed out to him it’s become a constant annoyance, like an itch that can’t be scratched, and he resist the urge to rub it.

If he tries hard enough, he can smell himself, slightly muted by the lingering scent of Kix, and he wrinkles his nose in a vain attempt to force it back into line. It ignores him, happily picking up every damn smell it can, the smell of bacta, the acrid tinge of antiseptic, and his own filthy self, covered in multiple days’ worth of sweat and gods only knows what else. He’d rather _not_ think about it, actually, so he doesn’t.

The same medic comes back in, with a small paper box in his hands, and Echo nearly falls off the cot in his excitement. This will make him _better_ , and he can go back to Fives, to all his other _vode_ and he can finally learn their names and-

“Kix to Echo.” The medic drawls, waving a hand in front of his face. “Come in, Echo.”

“Sorry.” He blurts, stilling and waiting patiently, and Kix doesn’t disappoint.

“This is _only_ for now. Everyone has to know sooner or later, you know that, right?”

“Yeah, of course.” Echo doesn’t take his eyes off the box. “So this’ll fix it?”

Kix stares at him. “ _Fixing_ would imply something’s broken. Being an Omega isn’t a crime.” _Except on Kamino,_ goes unsaid. “Think of this as a blanket. It’ll keep you covered, but if you forget to take one, the whole damn ship will smell you before they see you. There’s scent patches, kinda like bacta patches? They’re a pain in the ass to keep hidden, though, so this will have to do. Copy?”

“Copy.” Echo repeats eagerly, and Kix rolls his eyes.

“Try not to be too excited.”

“You try laying there for days with this.” He gestures down grandly to his erection, and Kix looks away.

“Here.” Kix holds out his hand, an innocent looking pill sat in his palm, and Echo grabs it without further prompting. His throat is nearly too dry to get it down, but with some wincing and a few deliberate swallows, it’s gone.

“You’re welcome.” Kix rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling, so Echo supposes it’s a good thing.

“Thank you,” Echo grumbles back, but decides that he actually means it, and softens his voice. “For everything.”

Kix looks momentarily surprised, an unreadable expression crossing his face before he grins. “ _Oya_ , _vod_.”

* * *

Fives nearly chokes on his food when Echo suddenly slides into the seat across from him, armed with a hesitant smile and an extra fruit cup that he immediately pushes his way. “Hey.”

“I didn’t know they released you.” He blurts, and Echo glances at the clones gathered around them warily for a moment before looking down at his food.

“Yeah, I got out this morning but had to report to Captain Rex.”

Fives can’t quite keep the interest out of his voice, even as he accepts the fruit cup and busies himself with eating. “About?”

Echo shrugs. “Missed training and gear check.”

“Be glad you missed training.” Jesse suddenly interrupts, and Fives resists the urge to roll his eyes at the other Alpha. “It sucked, my arms are _still_ burning.”

“That bad, huh?” Echo says around a mouthful, and Fives glances down at the other trooper’s nearly empty tray with a frown. Did Omegas need to eat more? It would explain why Echo was inhaling his food as if it were his last meal, and it takes him in an embarrassingly long time for his brain to catch up with his eyes.

_His Heat._

How many days had it even _been_? When was his last meal? Surely it hadn’t been the strip of rations the Captain had offered them on the transport from Rishi. Fives glances up sharply, narrowing his eyes at the carefully hidden exhaustion and tired, red-rimmed eyes. “Here,” A sudden pang of guilt has him pushing his tray over to _clack_ against Echo’s, and the Omega looks up in surprise.

Jesse makes a mournful noise. “I’ll eat i-“

“Jesse.”

Jesse grumbles but goes back to his food. “Fine.”

Echo hesitates. “You sure?”

Fives waves a hand in vague dismissal, and pretends his chest _doesn’t_ squeeze when he sees the other trooper’s happy smile.

When Echo’s done, Fives grabs his trays, ignoring his indignant squawk of protest, and he sweeps Jesse’s up too, if not for the sake of their newfound friendship then out of pity. Echo, unsurprisingly, gets up to follow him. “Well the food is better...” He suddenly trails off, and Fives glances over at him in time to see his wide-eyed expression as he watches a group of older _vode_ roughhousing a few tables down, yelling curses and insults alike. “Here.”

“Jesse tells me it’s General Skywalker’s doing. Says he likes to keep morale high.” He says by way of explanation, and Echo hums, tearing his gaze away to watch Fives set the trays into the return line. Fives furrows his brows at the faraway look on his face. “You okay? You’re acting like you’ve never seen a mess before.”

Echo’s face flames, and he coughs awkwardly. “Yeah, Im fine. Just tired.” Then, haltingly, “Can I... talk to you?”

There’s a sudden, piercing echo of _“Alpha, please”_ ringing in his ears, and he shakes his head to clear it, playing off the jerky movement as a nod. “Yeah.”

Echo doesn’t wait until they’re at the barracks, instead ushering him out of the mess, glancing up and down the halls to be sure they’re alone before speaking. “Late bloomer.”

Fives was proud he could keep a straight face. “What?”

Echo glances over at him, nose wrinkled in annoyance. “That’s what the medic told me. I’m not Null.”

_Yeah, no shit._

They slow as they near the barrack’s door, and Fives shifts his helmet to his other hip. “I know, I smelled you.”

Echo goes stiff at that, nearly tripping over his own feet, and Fives darts a hand out instinctively to help steady him. Echo exhales hard, running a hand through his hair and tugging in frustration. “Lets just forget for now, okay?”

“Okay,” Fives agrees, but- “How are you not...” He doesn’t know how to phrase it without the Omega taking it the wrong way, so he gestures randomly with his hands.

Echo blinks. “Suppressants. Kix said I can take them for at least a couple months before he cuts me off.”

“So what happens when you finally _are_ off? You’re just delaying the inevitable.”

“Well, I’ll figure it out when I get there.” Echo says determinedly, before brushing past him and entering the barracks. Fives doesn’t know how he’s so calm, because he himself is nearly panicking at the fact that Echo is an _Omega_ , and worse yet, an _unmarked_ Omega on a destroyer full of Alphas who’s sex drive was sometimes more than even _he_ could handle.

He’d seen an Omega only once before, back on Kamino, a brother that had presented _far_ too early to have the resources to hide such a secret, and he’d only caught the faint scent of _fear_ and _pain_ before the door to the labs had slid shut. He can’t imagine the smell on Echo, doesn’t _want_ to, so he squares his shoulders and follows his friend in.

* * *

Echo admits that he may have sorely overestimated the suppressants, because while it _does_ make his nose blessedly less sensitive, it doesn’t completely block out scents.

Which is why he’s currently staring up at the ceiling, hard in his blacks and stuck inhaling Fives’ scent that seems to drift up to him out of fucking _nowhere_. It’s worse that he actually _likes_ it, not that he’d thought Fives would stink, per se, but _holy shit._

He huffs and rolls over, shoving his face into his pillow and inhaling deeply, begging for anything that _didn’t_ currently reek of _AlphaHappyFives_. He guesses whatever gods are up there are laughing at him, because he nearly throws the damn pillow across the room when he inhales the scent of whatever Alpha had occupied his bunk before him, an overpowering musk that makes him want to _gag_.

 _This is a nightmare,_ he thinks dazedly, because it can’t be anything _but_. He envies the calm that Fives projects, envies the fact that _he’s an Alpha_ and he’s not, and before long he finds himself glaring at nothing in particular, jaw clenched and joints stiff.

By the time morning rolls around and the lights flicker on, he’s still laying there, eyes burning and chest constricting. He hops off his bunk, wincing at the sting of the cold durasteel against his bare feet before padding into the ‘fresher.

“Training in ten.” Someone calls from the door, and Echo throws a lazy thumbs up over his shoulder before leaning down to splash water on his heated skin. It feels _amazing_ , better than the sorry excuse of a shower he’d taken the night before, especially after the previous days spent cooped up in the medbay, and he tosses the ‘fresher one last longing look before begrudgingly making his way back to his bunk.

Fives looks up from strapping on his cuirass, his fingers pausing, eyes roving down Echo’s form aimlessly, and Echo grabs his armor quickly, face hot and suddenly craving the flimsy protection the plastoid offered.

“So,” Echo says, and Fives seems to snap out of whatever trance he’d been in, averting his eyes with a jerky flinch. “How _is_ training? Is the Captain as bad as they say?”

Fives smirks. “Worse. But don’t worry, _vod_ , you’ll find out soon enough.”

He’d thought _finding out_ meant maybe watching the _other_ trooper’s get their asses handed to them, followed by a very angry dressing down or extra push-ups. He _hadn’t_ thought it would be the good captain himself slamming him face first into the training mats without so much as breaking a sweat.

The impact has stars exploding in front of his eyes, the pain a sharp, biting reminder that _yes, that just happened_ , and he goes limp all too willingly, mustering enough energy to tap out before finally remembering how to _breathe._ He gasps, chest aching at the motion, before he’s being rolled over.

Rex stares down at him worriedly, brows furrowed and expression contrite. “ _Shit_ , kid, forgot how light you shinies are. You okay?”

Echo wishes he could laugh, tries to, decides that breathing is much better- _and easier-_ , and instead takes in another stuttering inhale. “Gimme a minute, sir.” He wheezes, blinking up at the durasteel above him and desperately trying to gather himself enough to stand. The others are watching, and the humiliation burns bright and painful in his gut.

He sits up, pausing when his head swims, before accepting the hand that the captain offers him, allowing himself to be pulled up.

Fives was watching him with a sort of concerned disapproval, arms crossed and expression stern, and Echo averted his gaze in favor of returning the enthusiastic thumbs up Jesse sent his way.

“One more time.” Rex decides, and Echo nods in agreement, falling into a defensive position with relative ease. The captain is much more fluid, almost _graceful_ in his movements, and it makes Echo all the more aware of how uncoordinated his own hits are.

He lasts a little longer this time, he doesn’t know if it’s from his own skill or the captain’s hesitance to put him down again, but either way, his arms burn and his legs shake by the time he’s flipped and pinned. Rex doesn’t wait for him to tap out, climbing off of him and turning to pick a new ‘partner’ to spar with. Echo is convinced that they’re simply punching bags, because he doesn’t think he’s seen _anyone_ best him in hand to hand.

He pulls himself up with a groan, ribs aching and nose smarting, and he feels around his face delicately, pulling back his fingers and frowning at the blood smeared across the tips. “You’re a real treat, sir.” Echo says sarcastically, and Rex briefly takes his eyes off of Hardcase to flash him a knowing grin.

A few brothers pat his arm in passing or murmur encouragements as he takes his place next to Fives, where a towel is smacked against his face.

“ _Ow_ ,” He snaps, whipping his head around to glare at Jesse, and the Alpha just shrugs.

“What? You were getting blood everywhere.”

“I’m about to get _your_ blood everywhere, _di’kut_.” Echo grumbles, but holds the towel under his nose anyway, wincing when pain shoots up into his skull. “Is he always so... _aggressive_?”

Jesse rocks back on his heels, face full of delight and more than a little awe as he watches the captain sweep Hardcase’s legs out from beneath him. “Oh yeah, of course. I heard that one time, a Shiny went to his quarters and was never seen again, pissed him off or something. They said he was all bloody and everything.”

“If he was never seen again,” Fives says, completely deadpan, and Echo bites his lip to keep from laughing. “How did they know he was bloody and _everything_.”

Jesse opens his mouth, closes it, and Echo can practically _see_ the cogs turning in his head. The moment is interrupted by a sharp whistle and a bark of “Jesse! Get your ass over here!” and the trooper obeys quickly, throwing a grimacing Hardcase a nervous look before falling into a loose stance, arms up and feet moving in a precise pattern as he and Rex circle each other.

Echo glanced over at Fives. “Isn’t he going to pick you?”

“Trust me, he had his fun with me _yesterday_.”

Echo hums, watching the spar with waning interest. “I would’ve liked to see that.”

Fives remains silent, and, sensing the sudden tension, Echo does as well. “When you were in heat,” Fives suddenly says, voice a low murmur, but Echo still glances around just to be sure, satisfied when the other trooper’s seem too enraptured with the spar to pay them any mind. “You said-“

“I’m sorry.” Echo blurts, cheeks burning, the shame thick and overwhelming. _If I screw up our friendship over this..._ “I didn’t... I wasn’t thinking.”

_Alpha, please._

He winces internally.

“I know that.” Fives says slowly, as if he’s trying to figure it out himself, and when he speaks again, it’s almost imperceptible. “But you also didn’t do it to any other Alpha except me.”

Echo... Echo hadn’t wanted to think of that. Because it had felt so _right_ in the moment, had felt so _natural_ , his body screaming for something to stop the pain and there was Fives, volatile and reckless and so overwhelmingly _Alpha_ that his brain had just... betrayed him. “It’s just you and me, Fives.” He finally murmurs back, because in the end, it’s the _truth_. Cutup, Droidbait and Hevy’s absences were painfully noticeable, a hole that couldn’t seem to stitch itself back together, and he _misses_ them.

“Yeah,” Fives finally says, staring down at the mats distractedly. “Just you and me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how does one write. i must figure out the secret, because honestly this chapter only had fifteen words an hour ago and then i drank a dr. pepper and suddenly i have 3.6k. still kinda short, but like how the fuck does that work.
> 
> i told myself i would ONLY focus on Echo5 but the Jessix bitch slapped me out of NOWHERE. it’s gonna be kinda lowkey in the background, but still. ALSO shiny kix. too powerful. also (i say that a lot dont i??) i decided to keep jesse Alpha because two Omegas? drama lil momma 
> 
> thank you so much for reading! have an amazing day lovelies!


	3. not so shiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Echo was no one’s. He was still a trooper, a squad-mate. Being an Omega changed nothing._

“You do realize that that’s toxic, right?” Fives says, brows furrowed and paintbrush poised above his armor.

Jesse only hesitates for a moment, drop of paint on his tongue, before shrugging. “Won’t kill me. Besides, it was a _dare_ -“

“It’s not a dare if you tell someone to say it.” Echo murmured under his breath, carefully, painstakingly painting over the eel’s blood marring his cuirass to replicate the handprint there, and Fives would admit that it looked pretty damn good, all things considered.

“-and you cant back down from a dare.” Jesse finished firmly, nodding as if to emphasize the point.

Kix was doing an admirable job at ignoring them, gripping a thigh-plate balanced on his outstretched leg as he painted in sure, even strokes, tongue sticking out in concentration. Fives wondered if he actually had a goal in mind or if he was just simply painting and hoping for the best.

He tears his gaze away to stare down at the shoulder pad in his lap, looking for any spots missed, and he’s pleased when the small memorabilia looks clean and precise. “Whatcha think?”

Echo leaned over to inspect it, so close that their heads nearly thumped together, and Fives went still, watching the smile that spread across the other trooper’s face with curiosity. “Fives, that looks _amazing_.” Then, softer, only for their ears, “He would’ve loved it.” His eyes rove over it for a moment longer, a tinge of sadness creeping into his expression before he glances up, and their eyes lock, hold, and then Fives suddenly couldn’t look away even if he _wanted_ to.

He feels that strange tightening in his chest again, a familiar surge of _mineprotectecho_ nearly causing him to do something incredibly, unbelievably stupid. Like closing the distance between them and nipping at the pout of his lip, like marking up the smooth expanse of Echo’s neck and making him _his_ , and the thought is more tempting than it should be.

It’s like a bucket of cold water thrown over his head, and he scolds himself harshly. Echo was his friend, ruining that over... _hormones_ was out of the question. He reminds the part of his brain that’s currently clawing to get out that Echo isn’t his, and never will be. Echo was no one’s. He was still a trooper, a squad-mate. Being an Omega changed nothing.

He looks away first, and with the moment broken, Echo leans away as well.

He doesn’t realize how quiet it’s gotten until he looks up and Jesse is staring straight at him, his expression unreadable and his eyes narrowed. Fives doesn’t growl, wouldn’t risk seeing how Echo would react to such an action, but curls his upper lip in the threat of one all the same. Jesse gives him an unimpressed look but wisely holds his tongue, looking back down to his helmet with feigned interest before casually saying, “I’m hungry, anyone wanna take a break and head over to the mess?”

“Sure, I could eat.” Echo sets down his brush and wipes his hands against his thighs before standing. Fives has to bite down on his own damn tongue to stop a groan when the other trooper stretches and lets out a low noise, and yes, he tastes blood, and how could Echo make that sound and expect him to just _forget_ it and _no, Fives, don’t look up, don’t-_ “Fives, you coming?”

He looks up.

Echo has that lopsided grin on his face, staring down at him with a brow raised, but his expression morphs into concern when Fives doesn’t immediately answer. “Fives?”

“Yeah,” He manages to get out, setting his own brush down before getting to his feet, ignoring the loud popping of his knees. “Sorry, spaced out for a minute there.”

Jesse was staring at him again, a mix of exasperated and confused that Fives steadily ignored in favor of following Echo out. And if he seems a little flustered during the walk to the mess, Echo doesn’t mention it, seemingly too preoccupied with his own thoughts, staring up ahead with a slight scowl. Fives knocked their shoulders together playfully.

“You think too loud.”

Echo gave him an unimpressed look before going back to his previously quiet state. His voice was soft when he spoke, hyper aware of Kix and Jesse talking a ways behind them. “When this all happens again,” His voice was kept remarkably level for one turning so red, and Fives frowned at the thought of his friend embarrassed for something out of his control. None of the other vode were embarrassed by their ruts, teasing and laughing as if discussing the weather, because it was _normal_. But, he thinks wryly, Alphas also weren’t as vulnerable when their secondary took over. It would make sense for Echo to be anxious. “What’s going to happen?”

Fives frowns. “What do you mean?”

Echo huffs, exasperated. “I _mean_ that I cant exactly be in the field when I’m...” He gestures wildly with his hands, flush creeping up the hem of his blacks again. “But I cant slack on my duties either. I know Captain Rex or one of the vode might help, but if a natborn found out, I’d be sent back to Kamino. Decommissioned.”

“That’s not going to happen. Remember what Kix said? You’re _not_ the only one, there are others in the ranks just like you.”

He didn’t get a response, because Jesse chose that moment to shove himself between them, arms slung across their shoulders. “So, anyone wanna give me their lunch today or...”

* * *

“I don’t understand.” Echo says quickly, and Kix gives him a sympathetic grimace. “You said I had _months_.”

“I was wrong, Echo. I’m not... exactly the _best_ at this, y’know.” The medic almost sounded embarrassed, cheeks red and eyes anywhere but him before he visibly pulled himself together. “They’re _dangerous_. You can finish out the week, but after that I’m cutting you off.”

Echo could only stare at him, jaw slack in disbelief. “You can’t do that. _Kix_ -“

“Listen, Echo, I like you, I do, but I’ve risked a lot already. This was never going to be permanent anyway. Think of this as a push.”

“A push.” Echo repeated numbly. “They’re _alphas_ , Kix, they’re going to-“

“They won’t. We won’t.” The medic said firmly, expression conflicted as if he himself didn’t quite believe it. “I won’t let that happen, and I know for a fact Fives won’t.”

“What do I tell them?” He asked quietly, head spinning and chest aching at the news. He’d thought he had _time_.

“The truth. They’re going to know when they smell you, but...” Kix frowned at a spot over his shoulder. “I don’t know. I’m sorry. I was only transferred a few weeks before you.”

The admission has guilt flooding him immediately. “Yeah, sorry. Thank you, for everything you did to help.”

The medic gives him a gentle smile, and Echo returns it before stepping past him to exit the small room.

Kix had cut him off.

Not just because of the danger, but because he couldn’t keep sneaking suppressants. He supposes he should be grateful, seeing as Kix had put his life and reputation on the line for him, but all he can feel is a cold sense of dread.

He’d like to think all vode were good people, but he’d heard enough crude sneers and leering jokes to know different.

Fives seems to sense his distress as soon as he enters general berthing, looking him over with a small frown as if expecting an injury, but Echo ignores him in favor of glancing around at the vode lounging around on their bunks. They were all alphas. And they would all know what he was within the next few days.

The thought isn’t a comforting one, but he walks to his bunk with sure strides all the same.

_I can take care of myself._

“You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Fives remarks quietly, and Echo spares him the briefest of glances before averting his gaze.

“I’m fine.” He doesn’t bother with the ladder, instead reaching up to pull himself in with a slight jump to help, and his anger flares when he bumps his hip along the edge. Fives would know better than to push him, so he’s confident that the other trooper will leave him be. Pawing blindly and trying desperately to keep a lid on his frustration, he jerks the blanket up to his chin ruthlessly, curling in on himself and willing the time to pass.

Echo’s brows furrow in frustration, however, when his pillow stubbornly holds on to the same nauseating musk as before, and this time he _does_ launch it across the room in a fit of childish rage, ignoring the surprised yelp of the trooper across from him. He didn’t need a pillow to sleep anyway, he thinks bitterly, and closes his eyes firmly, cushioning his head on his arm. His muscles refuse to unfurl from their cramped state, and it has his nerves grating together anxiously.

Minutes tick by, and he still can’t seem to drift off. If anything, he’s only become more agitated, and he’s considering violence by the time he hears movement behind him, then, Fives’ voice.

“Here’s your pillow.”

Echo keeps his eyes shut stubbornly and ignores him.

“I, um, kind of scent marked it for you, because I thought... I know it probably stinks- I mean I know _mine_ does, so I just figured that maybe it would help you sleep? Not saying that I _don’t_ stink, because I probably do, but I figured that you’d be more... comfortable with mine, I guess. If that’s not... not offensive, or anything.”

If he weren’t blushing so hard, he might have rolled over to accept the pillow with a smile and a thank you, but he instead holds out a hand, and Fives hands the pillow over wordlessly.

Echo waits until he hears him retreat before bringing the offending piece up under his nose, and he’s entirely unprepared for the sound that crawls up his throat when he gets a lungful of _Fives_. All the anger and fight drains from him immediately, and he can’t help but press his face further into the stupidly sinful smell. It’s heady, entirely too erotic for such an innocent act, and it has his heart doing the weak fluttery thing that he _hates_. It’s embarrassing, really, but he can’t exactly find it in himself to care when Fives himself had seemed so nonchalant about it.

_Maybe it’s normal._

It’s not very hard to fall asleep after that, and if anyone sees him nuzzling into his pillow right before he does, well then it’s none of their business.

The next time he wakes he’s in a significantly better mood, purposefully ignoring the reason for his previous worry, and he sits up and stretches languidly, muscles relaxed and limbs heavy.

Fives glances up from piecing on his armor when Echo slides off the bunk, small smile on his face with an eyebrow raised. “‘Morning, Sunshine.”

“‘Morning,” He keeps his voice level, because he at least has _some_ restraint. “Thanks. For last night, it was just- A lot.”

Fives shrugs, drops his head to stare down at his hands as he strapped on his greaves distractedly. “Yeah, I figured. It was nothing.”

Echo lets out a breath, nodding before brushing past Jesse to enter the ‘fresher. He’s thoroughly surprised when he nearly runs straight into another trooper, and his eyes immediately drop to the intricate design painted onto his armor. Fresh.

“Sorry, didn’t see you.” The trooper chirps cheerfully, and Echo blinks.

“Oh, no, you’re fine.”

“I’m Hardcase.” He thrusts out a hand as if it isn’t currently soaking wet, and Echo eyes it contemplatively before hesitantly shaking it.

“Echo.” He retracts his hand and wipes it against his blacks with a wince, and Hardcase’s eyes widen.

“Osik, sorry. I mean at least they’re clean, right?”

“Right.” Echo drawls, and Hardcase gives him one last parting grin before making his way out.

Not the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to him, but certainly up there on the list, and he shakes his head with a small smile.

The smile dies when he hears the news shouted by several vode behind him.

General Skywalker and Captain Rex had called everyone to the hangar for a briefing.

They were being deployed.

* * *

The gunship jerks and whines as they’re hit, but Echo doesn’t open his eyes, just plants his feet and lets himself sway with the motion. Kix was beside him, gripping the overhead wire tightly, medpack strapped to his back and sigil a sharp red on his shoulder.

“Try not to need me.” He heard him murmur, and Echo could only give a jerky nod, finally opening his eyes but regretting it when he was greeted by the flashing red lights of the ship’s interior.

The pilot’s voice suddenly filtered through, almost too loud in the silence. “ _She’ll hold until you’re at the drop zone. General Skywalker and Captain Rex are waiting for you there. Enjoy the sun, boys. Bring me back something pretty_.”

None of the men seemed in a particularly good mood, and the jab was met with steely silence save for the sputtering of their left wing.

“ _ETA thirty seconds_.”

“Hey,” Fives leaned over to grasp his shoulder firmly, and Echo nearly flinched at the motion. His nerves were already fried, adrenaline high and skin tingling, but Fives’ touch was grounding. “We’ll be fine. Just like training, right?”

“Right.” Echo breathes, and his voice wobbles on the word. Fives pats his shoulder once before letting go. He can smell the fear and anticipation in the air, a sour, bitter tang that makes his skin crawl, and he knows Kix must be smelling it too when the medic lets out a sharp exhale through his mouth from the confines of his helmet.

He thinks that Jesse was somewhere off to the right, but was reluctant to let go of the wire to lean over and check. Falling flat on his face before they’d even landed wasn’t very appealing.

All thoughts of Jesse were moot, however, when the doors slid open to reveal the dusty, dreary landscape beyond. The wind tugged at them sharply, and Kix yelped, trying and failing to steady himself with the additional weight of his pack, and Echo darted out a hand to grab him. _She’ll hold_ was an overstatement. As soon as the gunship swerved to hover above the ground, it went down the last few feet with a grinding squeal of metal on metal, and Echo was nearly knocked over when Fives immediately shouldered past him and stepped off, blaster raised as he scanned the terrain.

The other trooper’s filed out, the pilot gingerly climbing out of the cockpit and sliding down the side of the ship before landing with a grunt. “Everyone okay?”

One of the veterans shouldered his rifle and pointed lazily to a point over their heads. “You ain’t gettin’ _nothing_ pretty from me, Hawk. You dropped us off target.”

The pilot- Hawk, ripped his helmet off with a scowl, cradling it against his hip as he stalked forward, blaster smacking against his thigh. “I think you meant _’thank you, Hawk, for keeping our bird together long enough to drop us off safely’_.”

The trooper’s entire head rolled with the force of his eye roll, and he huffed. “Looks like we’re walkin’, then.”

Hawk nodded once, sharp, and took the lead, shoving his helmet on as he did. “We’re about three kliks off. Nothing major.”

“Nothin’ minor, either.”

“Zip it, Ruin.”

“Zipping, sir.”

It’s quiet after that, and Echo doesn’t know if it’s for their own peace of mind or to keep their position relatively secure.

Fives sticks close, matching him step for step, but it’s painfully obvious that they’re falling behind. The heat doesn’t help, either, the sun beating down on them mercilessly, but none of the others complain, so Echo holds his tongue as well.

When they finally do reach General Skywalker and the rest of the Company, he’s sucking wind and holding his side, which flares in pain with every sharp inhale. None of the others seem to be doing good either, Jesse bent over with his hands on his knees from the punishing pace Hawk had set, and the only ones that actually seem unbothered by it all are the veterans, who watch them amused tilts of their heads.

“Glad you finally decided to join us.” The general said good naturedly, and Hawk jerked his thump back the way they’d come.

“Wing got clipped, I had to bring her down a couple kliks off target, sir. My apologies.”

Skywalker waved a hand in dismissal. “Nothing to apologize for. I’m glad you all made it.” Then, when Rex cleared his throat and gave the Jedi a raised brow that almost looked scolding, “Right. Let’s move.”

* * *

Fives shivered as the bland, gloppy ration paste slid down his throat, and only schooled his features when the captain gave him a stern look.

Echo was eyeing his own packet with waning interest, nose wrinkled in disgust. “You’d think they could at _least_ feed us actual food.”

The weather certainly didn’t help either, a constant but soft rain that had forced the general to deem the terrain unfit for travel. And Fives can see why, because he’s currently sinking in about a foot of mud.

“Quit yackin’.” A brother rumbled, and Echo’s eyes looked impossibly wide on his soot covered face as he ducked his head, sheepishly lifting the packet to his mouth.

Kix had finally come back sometime during the early morning, but he hadn’t said a word to anyone, hadn’t so much as looked at them, and Jesse had plopped down beside him as his unspoken guard and pillow since. He thinks the medic may have been sleeping, helmeted head tipped back against Jesse’s shoulder, but it’s impossible to tell with his bucket on. “Better than nothing. I heard Gulf Company ran out of rations _yesterday_.” Jesse pipes softly, and Fives grunts.

“Yeah, and _we’re_ next.”

Echo smacks his lips, the sound almost too loud in the small, glum excuse of a trench they’re holed up in, and ignores the heated glare one of the dozing vode throws his way. “I think I’d rather starve anyway. That stuffs _nasty_.”

Fives goes to laugh, but regrets it when he inhales. He _reeks_ , a mix of pheromones and sweat and muck that smells like something a gundark spat out, and he nearly gags at how overpowering it was. Jesse gives him a sympathetic look. The last few days had been _hell_ , and a shower and a shave was sounding better than uj on Lifeday. “Don’t think they made it to be _good_ , vod.” He finally chokes out, and Echo gives him an amused grin.

“Nutrients.” Kix suddenly cuts in, voice hoarse, and it’s almost a rasp with his helmet. He waves a hand vaguely, tiredly, before letting it flop back down to the sopping earth below. “Protein. Only the stuff we need.”

“Speaking of,” Jesse drawls and reaches over to grab the medic’s pack, a difficult feat with the dead weight currently leaned against his side, but he manages, opening it up to rummage through for a moment before producing a ration bar. Fives hears Echo make a mournful noise. Bars were at least better than _paste_. “You need to eat something, we’ll be movin’ out soon, right Cap?”

Rex doesn’t even look up from the holomap he was currently looking over, and Fives could practically see the tension rolling off of him. “Sure.”

Kix only sits up to escape Jesse’s hands prying at his helmet, nearly bumping into another vod as he shifted away. “‘M not hungry. I’ll eat when I need to.”

“Need to or want to?” Jesse challenged, but he didn’t receive an answer, and instead a prickly silence fell over the group.

“Gods,” A vod finally whispered. “Kriffing shinies.”

* * *

None of them can look at each other.

Echo sits with his knees pulled up to his chest, soaked to the bone and _freezing_ , but he knows pressing up against another to share warmth would be frowned upon. He keeps his helmet on, because he doesn’t want them to see the tears, the way he has to bite his lip to keep in the noises he so desperately wants to release.

He’s pretty sure they know anyway, though. He can’t stop the way his chest shudders with each breath.

The rain does an admirable job at cleaning his armor, the water stained pink as it flows down unchecked, erasing any and all evidence of what had happened moments before.

Good. He doesn’t want to think about it.

Fives’ helmet was off, but his eyes were hazy, as if he wasn’t really there, and Echo thinks that Kix may have checked him over or done something to help if he’d been there, but as it is, he was probably picking his way through the bodies just a ways away to search for survivors.

There was so _many_ of them. So many _parts_ , torn and jagged and-

His stomach roils at the thought, at the smell that’s still permeating the air along with the nauseating scent of pain, fear and _death_. He rips off his bucket and vomits, tries to, but nothing comes out, and he’s stuck dry heaving, chest burning and limbs shaking.

Jesse’s eyes were watery and red-rimmed as he watched him, but he doesn’t lend a hand, doesn’t so much as twitch. Echo doesn’t hold it against him, against _any_ of them, because he doesn’t think he would’ve had the strength to either if he was in his place.

The other troopers seem to be faring remarkably well, puttering around and tossing together a crude little camp to act as a shelter from the rain, but he doesn’t think it’ll do them much use anyway. Most of them were so drenched that it was more comfortable to _stay_ in the rain.

Echo finally sits back, exhausted, and drags in another shaky breath. He wants to go home, back to his rack and his blanket and _warmth_ , wants to curl up and be held, and the thought was so disgustingly selfish that it makes his cheeks heat in shame.

“Are you three hurt?”

Fives startles beside him, and the medic in question holds up his hands apologetically.

“Easy, vod.” Echo doesn’t think he’s ever seen him before, but he guesses he’s older considering the scraped and beaten armor. “Do any of you need me?”

“No.” Jesse says for them, but his voice cracks, and he’s ducking his head with a wet cough.

“It was a rough one.” Echo wonders if that was the trooper’s way of comforting them, and decides that if it is, it’s not very affective. The medic finally leaves then with a “take it easy” and a careful pat to Fives’ shoulder.

Silence falls over them once again, and it drags on longer than Echo had anticipated before Fives suddenly gets to his feet.

“C’mon. Tents are set up.”

Echo glances over at Jesse, and the alpha does the same before they both get to their feet as well, albeit gingerly, and they slip theirs helmets on reflexively.

“Lead the way.”

* * *

He can’t sleep. Which, Fives decides, isn’t very surprising considering how fucking _cold_ it is.

He can hear Echo shivering from halfway across the tent, a constant scrape of blacks on cloth occasionally accompanied by the clack of teeth, but he’s yet to work up the courage to go to him.

He’s too tired to reign in his impulses, however, and the hind part of his brain was currently going berserk at the prospect of the omega suffering.

Gritting his teeth and cursing at nothing in particular, he sits up and squints in the dark, more _listening_ than _seeing_ to pinpoint Echo’s location. He bumps into somebody’s leg on the way there, which results in a strangled groan and a kick to his thigh before he finally reaches Echo’s bedroll, and by then his body was aching in protest all over again from the day’s activities.

Fives drops behind the omega with a quiet huff, wrapping an arm around his waist to tug him back against him before closing his eyes. It’s not exactly comfortable, wet nanoprene between them and the frigid night air around them, but Echo leans into his touch like he’s starving for it, a small noise working up his throat, easing back into Fives’ warmth until he’s pressed up and trembling against him.

There’s just enough space for Echo to tuck his head beneath Fives’ chin, and he does so almost immediately, curling up tighter and letting out a quietly stuttered “thanks” which Fives responds to by holding him tighter.

It isn’t long before they’re both drifting, the miserable damp blacks quickly becoming heated from their combined warmth, and Fives swears that, just before he fades, he catches a whiff of _Omega_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LISTEN Y’ALL. A/B/O dynamics are so diverse, there are so many aspects to it and everyone has their own take to it, but please please please correct me if I accidentally say/use/do something wrong. With that being said I’ll do a little run down to catch up. Suppressants (I even looked this up lmao my search history is tainted) can be taken as pills or a shot and basically turn everything down until you can barely tell what the persons secondary gender is (They’re considered dangerous because long term use can cause damage, which is why Kix cuts him off). _Scent patches/Scent blockers_ I’m not using in this, but they’re basically like bacta patches that go over scent glands. I’m going to be using a whole lot more but I’ll be sure to explain any weird or new terms so that way if you don’t know them you’ll be able to (hopefully) understand it better :) So. That being said, just bear with me while I work out the kinks of how vast the A/B/O universe is.
> 
> I have so so much planned for this fic and I’m so impatient but I’m determined to make this a slow burn so like- Yikes. 
> 
> I saw this hc that said that all pilots were built smaller so they could fit into cockpits easier and i just- small Hawk. Small _sassy_ Hawk. Too powerful. 
> 
> Plenty of post battle snuggles next chapter, because yes. And also major Omega Echo and protective Fives because also yes. 
> 
> So sorry this took so long, but thank you for sticking with me lovelies, you guys are the best! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated! Have an amazing day! <3

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading!! updates may be a little random, because i’m a slut for having at least five ongoing stories that i have no time to update lmao. also how did I JUST find out yesterday that Kix and Jesse are younger than Fives and Echo. How. I don’t even know what to do with this information. The possibilities are _endless_.
> 
> i wasn’t lying when i said this was my emotional support fic. i’m already attached, and i’m going to make this one hell of a slow burn. like seriously, this is the result of me at 3am thirsty for my clone bois.
> 
> i hope y’all are staying safe and healthy! eat a vegetable or something <3


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